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AP Literature - Literary Terms Flashcards

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6537266878allegoryA story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.0
6537266879alliterationIt is a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series.1
6537266880allusionA brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.2
6537266881anagrama word or phrase spelled by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase3
6537266882antecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.4
6537266883antagonistA character or force in conflict with the main character5
6537266884anaphoraA rhetorical figure of repetition in which the same word or phrase is repeated in (and usually at the beginning of) successive lines, clauses, or sentences.6
6537266885anastropheInversion of the natural or usual word order7
6537266886antithesisA balancing of two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses.8
6537266887aphorismA brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.9
6537266888apostropheA figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.10
6537266889assonanceRepetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity11
6537266890asyndetonA series of words separated by commas (with no conjunction), e.g. "I came, I saw, I conquered." The parts of the sentence are emphasized equally; in addition, the use of commas with no intervening conjunction speeds up the flow of the sentence.12
6537266891blank versePoetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter13
6537266892caesuraA natural pause or break in a line of poetry, usually near the middle of the line.14
6537266893cacophonyHarsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds15
6537266894cadenceRhythmic rise and fall16
6537266895conceitA fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.17
6537266896connotationAll the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests18
6537266897consonanceRepetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.19
6537266898coupletA pair of rhymed lines that may or may not constitute a separate stanza in a poem.20
6537266899dactylA stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables21
6537266900denotationDictionary definition of a word22
6537266901denouementan outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot23
6537266902dictionThe choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing24
6537266903didacticIntended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson25
6537266904dirgea funeral hymn or mournful speech26
6537266905euphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant27
6537266906end-stopped lineA line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation28
6537266907enjambmentA run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line into the next.29
6537266908epitaphA brief statement written on a tomb or gravestone30
6537266909epicA long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society31
6537266910epistolaryA piece of literature contained in or carried on by letters32
6537266911flashbackA method of narration in which present action is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events33
6537266912foreshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.34
6537266913footA metrical unit composed of stressed and unstressed syllables.35
6537266914frame storyA secondary story or stories embedded in the main story36
6537266915free versePoetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme37
6537266916genreA category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.38
6537266917hamartiatragic flaw which causes a character's downfall39
6537266918heroic coupletA pair of rhymed, iambic pentameter lines.40
6537266919hexameterA line of poetry that has six metrical feet.41
6537266920hubrisExcessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy42
6537266921hyperboleA figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor43
6537266922iambA common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable.44
6537266923imageryDescriptive or figurative language in a literary work; the use of language to create sensory impressions.45
6537266924ironyA contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen.46
6537266925verbal ironyIn this type of irony, the words literally state the opposite of the writer's true meaning47
6537266926situational ironyOccurs when the outcome of a work is unexpected, or events turn out to be the opposite from what one had expected48
6537266927dramatic ironyIrony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.49
6537266928jargonSpecial words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand50
6537266929juxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts51
6537266930kenningA device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities.52
6537266931metaphorA comparison that establishes a figurative identity between objects being compared.53
6537266932meterA regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry54
6537266933metonymyA figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it55
6537266934moodFeeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader56
6537266935motif(n.) a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design57
6537266936motivationA psychological factor that provides a directional force or reason for behavior.58
6537266937narrationThe purpose of this type of rhetorical mode is to tell the story or narrate an event or series of events.59
6537266938novelA long fictional narrative written in prose, usually having many characters and a strong plot.60
6537266939novellaA short novel usually under 100 pages.61
6537266940noveletteWhen a novel is short and has chapters reffered to as vignettes62
6537266941octavea verse form consisting of eight lines of iambic pentameter63
6537266942odeA lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject.64
6537266943onomatopoeiaA figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.65
6537266944oxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.66
6537266945paeansong of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy67
6537266946parableA simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson68
6537266947paradoxA statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.69
6537266948parallelismPhrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other70
6537266949parodyA work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.71
6537266950pedanticAn adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.72
6537266951pentametera rhythm in poetry that has five stressed syllables in each line (five metrical feet)73
6537266952personaA pattern of relatively permanent traits, dispositions, or characteristics that give some consistency to people's behavior.74
6537266953personificationA figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes75
6537266954plotSequence of events in a story76
6537266955point of viewThe perspective from which a story is told77
6537266956polysyndetonDeliberate use of many conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be omitted. Hemingway and the Bible both use extensively. Ex. "he ran and jumped and laughed for joy"78
6537266957prosodyAppropriate expression when reading. Includes pitch (intonation), loudness, stressing phrases, etc.79
6537266958protagonistChief character in a dramatic or narrative work, usually trying to accomplish some objective or working toward some goal.80
6537266959punA joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.81
6537266960quatrain4 line stanza82
6537266961refrainA line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.83
6537266962rhetorical questionA question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer84
6537266963end rhymeA word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line85
6537266964eye rhymerhyme that appears correct from spelling but does not rhyme because of pronunciation86
6537266965forced rhymewhen two words don't really rhyme together, but an author uses similar spelled, or sounding words to try to create a rhyme; Ex: stone, one87
6537266966internal rhymeA word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line88
6537266967slant rhymerhyme in which the vowel sounds are nearly, but not exactly the same (i.e. the words "stress" and "kiss"); sometimes called half-rhyme, near rhyme, or partial rhyme89
6537266968rhyme schemeA regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem90
6537266969satireA literary work that criticizes human misconduct and ridicules vices, stupidities, and follies.91
6537266970sesteta rhythmic group of six lines of verse92
6537266971shifts/turnsChanges in the speaker's attitude. Look for key words such as but, yet, however, and although, punctuation, and stanza division.93
6537266972sonnet14-line lyric poem focused on a single theme; usually written in iambic pentameter94
6537266973symbolA thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.95
6537266974synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa96
6537266975syntaxArrangement of words in phrases and sentences97
6537266976themeA topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work.98
6537266977toneA writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.99
6537266978understatementthe presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is.100
6537266979villanelleA French verse form calculated to appear simple and spontaneous but consisting of nineteen lines and a prescribed pattern of rhymes.101

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